We have been living in unpredictable and stressful times as the COVID-19 virus approached and reached global pandemic status. The effect of the virus has impacted people and communities in many different ways. Many have been asked or ordered, to stay home, work from home, and now children are distance learning. Normal routines like grocery shopping, socializing, and venturing out into communities are no longer options or require a great deal of consideration and planning to reduce the risk of...

The holiday season is a special time. However you celebrate, it’s a time of year synonymous with joy and memories with family and friends. And it can also be a difficult time for some people: particularly those who are in recovery. Gatherings and events with alcohol can be a new experience for people who are newly sober and can offer social pressures that can be challenging. Luckily, our society is becoming more sober-conscious. There is a lot of useful information...

Written by: Thatcher ShivleyCertified Recovery Coach September is National Recovery Month. It’s a welcome focus on a topic that doesn’t get enough attention: that recovery IS possible, and it happens every day. But of course, so do overdoses. Far too many of them. The numbers are staggering. More than 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses in 2017. That’s a lot of lost family members, friends, sons, daughters, parents, brothers, sisters, and co-workers. Let’s face it; losing someone is hard. And what about...

When a family is in the midst of a challenge that heightens tensions and emotions, it can be helpful for them to remember the saying, “There’s no such thing as a ‘normal’ family.” Every family has its own unique dynamics, and for that reason, a one-size-fits-all solution is rarely the most effective approach. Feinberg Consulting is a company that was created to help families through their most challenging moments: chiefly catastrophic injuries related to serious car accidents, elder care, and...

There are many reasons families don’t immediately take action when a loved one is exhibiting signs of addiction. A lack of education about what addiction is (and isn’t) is a contributing factor. And so are feelings of shame. In our society, there’s an undeniable stigma around addiction. We still cling to the false belief that addiction is a character flaw or a lack of willpower. It’s not, and the science is clear on this. As Harvard Health writes: “Today we...

Alcoholism is widely misunderstood because it functions differently than most diseases. People with Type-2 Diabetes, for example, are asked at a minimum to remove problematic foods from their diets. When they do this, they get better. The cure for alcoholism isn’t as simple as “stopping the drinking.” With real alcoholism, removing alcohol from a person’s life can actually make the symptoms worse. There’s another complicating factor with alcoholism, and it’s that it doesn’t come with the same stigma as drug...

Years ago, my sponsor gave me some incredibly valuable advice. At the time, I was waiting tables at an exclusive restaurant in South Florida. I was regularly interacting with people who were fabulously wealthy, and I used to joke that every shift I would meet at least one person whose watch was worth more than my car. I wondered what they had done to get where they were. It wasn’t so much their wealth I was drawn to. Would it...

When our office receives a call about someone struggling with addiction or substance abuse, it is most often from a concerned family member. Their loved one’s addiction has gotten to the point where it is not only affecting his or her wellbeing, but also the wellbeing of the family system. It’s only recently that we’ve began to understand and treat addiction for what it is: a family problem. In previous generations, addiction was not openly discussed or addressed in families....

Let’s be honest: the holidays can be a stressful time. Gathering together all the pieces of a festive celebration requires a lot of work. Yet, for individuals in various stages of recovery, the holidays aren’t just a stressful time—they can be hazardous to recovery. We've compiled some tips for staying sober and getting the support you or a loved one may need during the holiday season. Plan your support system The holidays are an excellent opportunity to reach out to...

We have all heard the phrase “willing and ready.” It’s used to describe someone who is both compelled to do something and properly equipped to see it through. Take the example of running a marathon. Many people might be willing to run a marathon, but are they ready? Willingness alone doesn’t make them ready to do it. Unless they’ve spent their life running long distances, they will not find themselves in the physical shape necessary to run 26.2 miles. It...